Title: Somewhere On The Horizon
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop-Rock
Length: 4:27
Label: North Hill Records!
Written: August 2012
Writer(s): Amy Meyer, Adam Benjamin

Background & Song Description

‘Somewhere On The Horizon’ is a song by the American alt-rock band ‘Riot! In The Boulevard’, it’s the lead single from their upcoming third studio album and marks their eighth official single overall during their almost three years in the music industry. The track was written in August 2012 by Amy Meyer and Adam Benjamin prior to the initial recording sessions for their next album, it mixes elements from their previous two studio album’s worth of material and continues with their signature sound, heavy guitar riffs with lyrics that will no doubt continue to speak to their primarily teenage audience as well as the melodic simplicity that they’ve shown in previous songs of a tender and emotional nature.

It’s their first single to be released under ‘North Hill Records’ and their first single that features production work from ‘Isaac Lovelock’ who the band signed on to co-produce their latest studio effort. This will be the first single to be released as part of the build-up to their third studio album, with little information about that record available it would appear that its release is certainly on the horizon, with some insiders hinting towards an early November release date. ‘Somewhere On The Horizon’ will be released to airplay and available to purchase as a digital download and CD single on October 14, 2012.

During July and early August 2012, Riot! In The Boulevard took a four week break in order to re-cooperate from a long and arduous tour that culminated in a headline performance at Field Trip Festival 2012. Each band member went their separate ways during this vacation, lead guitarist Justin took a week-long vacation in Italy before spending the following three weeks back at home in Vegas with family and friends, drummer, Nathan and the twin brother of Justin opted to stay at home in Vegas during the four week break with his girlfriend, while bassist Jason Greenberg decided to spend some of his downtime in Tokyo, Japan which is a place that he has always been extremely fond of and finally both Amy and Adam decided to spend their downtime together, taking residency in a small home in Greenwich Village, New York.
It was during Amy and Adam’s downtime that they wrote ‘Somewhere On The Horizon’ together as a bunch of other songs considered for their upcoming album, it was this track however that they became more happy with, as Amy states, “It’s always difficult to keep writing something that feels at least slightly different, after two album’s worth of material it’s gonna be more and more difficult to write songs that feel different.”, but as Amy started off by messing around with certain keys and melody’s on the piano, despite both members of the band agreeing that they wouldn’t work during their downtime, it wasn’t long before she had tempted Adam to come up with a riff on the guitar, this quickly resulted in the two writing the music and putting lyrics to that music in a sort of collaborative session that lasted over four hours. Adam shed a light hearted response during a recent interview, “So much for a vacation, right?”

The track opens up with a melodically beautiful piano introduction and soft beating of the drums, which sets the tone of the song and it’s general theme perfectly as Amy’s opening lines introduces the listener to the story that is to come, “We live such different lives/It’s like everything keeps changing/We used to talk all night/Now it seems like we’re just fading.” already giving a clear indication that the song is a haunting ballad for a dying love, Amy’s gentle but assertive vocals show that she hasn’t lost anything and with the slight echo on her vocals it gives the song it’s haunting emotional impact, feeling like yet another confessional from the red-haired teenagers diary. The song’s chorus appears rather quickly into the song as Amy’s vocals become more assertive and urgent as she sings this time with a soft and slow guitar and bass backing by Adam and Jason, she fires out the lines, “Maybe not right now, maybe not today/Maybe when we least expect it, our love will die away/Maybe not here, but no matter how we try/Somewhere on the horizon, we will say goodbye.” again as she’s done in many previous songs she initially puts the emphasis on the melody and emotion of her songs.

But as the next couple of verses falls by, it’s a blistering lead guitar riff provided by Justin Mullen that gives the song it’s highest and most anthemic moment, filled with a dramatic urgency and a beautiful vocal delivery from Amy once more as she sings on level with the power of the guitar riff, “It’s hard to see the light/Right now it’s way too dark/It’s hard to know that things will be alright/There’s still a flickering in my heart/Just believe in the words that I say to be true/Darlin’ I still hold a candle for you.”
The guitar riffs soften in power slightly and the keys of the piano become more highlighted as the song comes towards its final stages, the song reverts back to the emotional and melodic state once again and the tender vocals of Amy close out the song to the echo of the plastic veneer piano keys.

Lyrics

“We live such different lives
It’s like everything keeps changing
We used to talk all night
Now it seems like we’re just fading
We’re going through the motions
Fighting just to see who’ll be the first to blink
We can both see the truth
Our ship is gonna sink

Maybe not right now
Maybe not today
Maybe when we least expect it
Our love will die away
Maybe not here
But no matter how we try
Somewhere on the horizon
We will say goodbye

It’s been a long time coming
It’s been such a long time together
It’s hard to let go when we said this was forever
But I can’t see the light that shines
I can’t feel the ties that bind
I can’t be the one to fall behind
Maybe it will get easier in time

Kiss a rose and throw it in the sea
Just pray that the rose will find its way to me
We’re both young with a lot to learn
A heart beats heavier when it’s forced to yearn
Maybe we were stupid for getting into this
I sometimes wish I never met you
Because it’s only you that I can miss

It’s hard to see the light
Right now it’s just way too dark
It’s hard to know that things will be alright
There’s still a flickering in my heart
Just believe in the words that I say to be true
Darlin’ I still hold a candle for you

We’re always going through the motions
Fighting just to see who’ll be the first to blink
We can both see the truth
Our ship is gonna sink
Maybe not right now
Maybe not today
Maybe when we least expect it
Our love will die away
Maybe not here
But no matter how we try

Somewhere on the horizon
We will say goodbye
Somewhere on the horizon
We will say goodbye”

Title: The Ruins You Created And The Hearts That You Took
Genres: Alternative Rock, Rock, Emo
Length: 6:13
Label: North Hill Records!
Written: October 2012
Writer(s): Adam Benjamin

Background & Song Description

‘The Ruins You Created And The Hearts That You Took’ is a song from the American teenage rock band, Riot! In The Boulevard. Written in early October 2012 by Adam Benjamin it was written late at night following a long and tiring day of recording, the band had tracked almost half of the songs from their upcoming record throughout the day and came to the agreement that the record needed another two or three songs, lead singer Amy Meyer had a large involvement in most of the songwriting duties but encouraged Adam to try to write one or two songs for inclusion on the album, staying at a hotel in Greenwich Village, New York he wrote two songs that would eventually appear on the album in one evening, this track and a track titled, ‘The Fire That Took My Love (Last Day Of Our Acquaintance)’.

The song was written with just an acoustic guitar within the space of three hours, according to Adam, the song nearly got thrown away, “It was around eleven thirty in the evening when I finally got back to the hotel after spending the entire day in the recording studio in downtown Manhattan and so the thought of trying to come up with a couple of songs was something that didn’t thrill me. I grabbed a bite to eat and then began to play an acoustic guitar, this is just after midnight but nevertheless I kept at it and began to just think about what I could write about, I quickly came up with a melody and then an introduction and began the process of putting lyrics to it which is something that I find difficult.
I’ve always enjoyed songwriting, I don’t do it a whole lot to be honest because I can’t get those short punchy songs that our band has become known for, usually when I write a song it goes on a little longer than the band would ideally like. I’ve always been encouraged by the band to bring my own songs to the table but like I say, it’s usually a little too long and gets dismissed but it’s the only way I can write songs, I can’t quite say what it is that I want to say in the three or four minutes and so they usually do go up into the six and seven minute mark, which is what happened in this case too but the guys enjoyed both songs that I wrote on my own that evening and included them into the album.”

The song begins with a slow and melancholic piano introduction, the sound of the keys being pressed down and the addition of the haunting echo that backdrops the eerie tones of Amy’s piano playing gave the song a dreary but powerful introduction, it remains as the sole instrument throughout the entirety of the first verse as Amy sings with anger and a twinge of regret in her vocal delivery of lyrics that match the dulcet tones of the piano playing, “The constant beating of my heart rumbles through these halls/While the ghost that left me is buried in the walls/The crackling thunder can be heard from way above/It keeps on haunting this home that was once filled with love/If you listen quietly you can still hear my voice/When you’re alone you don’t really have a choice/No matter where you go and no matter what you do/I’ll be somewhere deep within the darkness/I’ll be right there/Haunting you.”

As the second verse begins in a similar vein, with the piano and vocal delivery remaining as the primary focus the powerful repetitive drum beat by Nathan Mullen begins in order to add an urgency to the song and the pace of the music picks up slightly with the inclusion of the Rhythm and Bass Guitars from both Adam Benjamin and Jason Greenberg respectively that give the song an added fire and emphasis that isn’t quite fully realized until the gigantic and anthemic rock onslaught that hits your ears during the pre-chorus as a blistering lead guitar solo is backed perfectly and powerfully by all of the aforementioned instrumentals as well as Amy’s vocals that have now turned from soft and regretful into a huge anthemic rock vocal that sits perfectly in-between the incessant instrumental backdrop as she sings, almost bellows out the following; “I’m long gone now/I’m buried underground/No pain and hurting for me/But just remember that you’re easily found/I still have a spirit and I haven’t forgotten/So don’t get too comfortable/Because although my soul is rotting/I’ll be there, I’ll see you again/My revenge will come, but until then/Just remember the face that deep down you still miss/But most importantly/Remember this.”

The combination of the aforementioned instrumentals, combined with Amy’s vocals continue just as incessantly as previously while the song progresses throughout with the energy and power that a Riot! In The Boulevard live performance has become known for since their breakthrough into the industry, the instrumental onslaught only begins to settle down slightly for the final vocal delivery of the song as she sings, “The ruins you created and the hearts that you took/Will come to the foundations/Your whole world will soon be shook/The heart that you had stolen and the faith and love too/Won’t be forgotten/My ghost will be coming for you.” and the song fades briefly before moving into the next track.

Lyrics

“The constant beating of my heart rumbles through these halls
While the ghost that left me is buried in the walls
The crackling thunder can be heard from way above
It keeps on haunting this home that was once filled with love
If you listen quietly you can still hear my voice
When you’re alone you don’t really have a choice
No matter where you go and no matter what you do
I’ll be somewhere deep within the darkness
I’ll be right there
Haunting you

I was just a carefree soul
Just needed someone to be there to break my fall
But you lured me in, made me feel like you were the one
As soon as our hearts became too close together
I looked around and you were gone
Breaking a heart in the process
But I know that your life without me is just a big mess
But I digress

I’m long gone now
My body is buried underground
No pain and hurting for me
But just remember that you’re easily found
I still have a spirit and I haven’t forgotten
So don’t get too comfortable
Because although my soul is rotting
I’ll be there, I’ll see you again
My revenge will come, but until then
Just remember the face that deep down you still miss
But most importantly
Remember this

The ruins you created and the hearts that you took
Will come to the foundations
Your whole world will soon be shook
The heart that you had stolen and the faith and love too
Won’t be forgotten
My ghost will be coming for you

You’ll be beaten, bruised
Shaken and scared
You’ll be overwhelmed
And you’ll be underprepared
Every little thing that you threw at me
Will be coming back to you
Every little thing you do
Just know that I’ll be haunting you

I’m long gone now
My body is buried underground
No pain and hurting for me
But just remember that you’re easily found
I still have a spirit and I haven’t forgotten
So don’t get too comfortable
Because although my soul is rotting
I’ll be there, I’ll see you again
My revenge will come, but until then
Just remember the face that deep down you still miss
But most importantly
Remember this

The ruins you created and the hearts that you took
Will come to the foundations
Your whole world will soon be shook
The heart that you had stolen and the faith and love too
Won’t be forgotten
My ghost will be coming for you”

Title: The Webs That You Weave
Genres: Pop-Rock, Alternative Rock
Length: 3:28
Label: North Hill Records!
Written: June 2012
Writer(s): Amy Meyer, Adam Benjamin

Background & Song Description

‘The Webs That You Weave’ is a song by the American teenage rock band, Riot! In The Boulevard. Written in early June 2012 while on tour, it was another of the earlier songs written for the bands third studio album and was even performed at the final two concerts of the ‘Demand & Supply’ world tour that the influential group of teenage musicians were taking part in. The track was written by both Amy Meyer and Adam Benjamin who at this point have become the primary songwriters for ‘Riot! In The Boulevard’ although a large portion of the groups material still comes from their red-haired frontwoman.
It was written on the tour bus with the acoustic guitar playing of Adam Benjamin leading way for Amy Meyer to come up with the lyrics and general theme of the song, it distinctly follows the black hearted nature of the bands sophomore album, reminiscent to many of the scathing attacks against love that appeared in a vast majority of the material for ‘Cradle To The Grave’.

The song was written acoustically on one lonely sleepless evening of travelling during the 2012 world tour that the band embarked upon in support of fellow rocker Lily. It’s one of the now regular collaborative efforts between both Amy Meyer and Adam Benjamin who have begun to develop a highly consistent songwriting partnership since the release of their previous album and Adam’s more prominent role within the band environment and according to Amy, “I always really considered myself to be a solitary songwriter, the songs that I write bear witness to a feeling or thought that I’ve been having, sometimes just in the very briefest of moments. But since I began writing the occasional song with Adam I noticed that it was something I was more capable of doing than I had initially thought. When you’re writing with someone else it’s always a lot more of a pressured situation because a lot of writing and re-writing goes on and with someone else involved it makes it more important not to come up with terrible lyrics and word structures because there’s the added pressure of public humiliation but thankfully it’s easy to write with Adam because he’s open to very many different possibilities and he’s always telling me that nothing I ever write is completely unusable, there’s always an outlet for a verse that doesn’t fit in one song to somehow fit into another and so since we began writing songs together I feel like I’m a lot more open to collaboration than I once was.”

Although it was written with an acoustic guitar, the song opens with the eerie western-esque tones of a pedal-steel guitar that is provided by Justin Mullen, it sets the dark theme of the song and it’s quickly pounced upon by the droning noise of the bass lead and the repetitive drumming from Nathan Mullen and quickly the lyrics come into play as Amy sings in an almost beaten down world weary vocal the opening lines of the song, “I saw the tiniest moment of grace I the light/When you stood with the prophets in the darkness of night/You raised your hands to the sky like the conqueror of millions/But forgot about your loved on in the crowd of civilians/The shadows are cast and the silence begins/I stared at your heart in the hope that you’d let me in/But as I glanced at your eyes, I could see all this pain/I knew that I had lost you and our love could no longer remain.” which gives the song it’s mournful and depressive set-up for what is to come in the following verses of the song.

As the second verse comes to its haunting end it’s quickly followed by a driving guitar riff provided by Adam Benjamin and it’s matched perfectly with the energetic drumming of Nathan Mullen, quickly comes the lead vocal delivery from Amy Meyer as she sings about the reminiscent feeling she gets, “I’ll wander the streets where we once spent out youth/I’ll remember our joys in a brief moment of truth/I’ll star at the swings where we used to play/I’ll lie in the fields where we used to lay/I’ll stand by the river and take shelter from the rain/I’ll remember us for the good times rather than the pain/I’ll stand on the bridge where we shared our first kiss/I’ll remember the times that I can’t help but miss.” the power anthemic vocal from Amy is then quickly changed to a quick-fire and aggressive follow-up verse as all of the guitars come crashing into focus all mirrored around the strong vocal delivery of the following lyrics, “From childhood friends to teenage lovers/From nervous children to fathers and mothers/From misfits and losers that don’t belong/To the tragic protagonist in the words of a song/To the beaten and broken in the rules of love/To beautiful and fragile watching us from above/To the ones who’ve lost hope and can’t seem to be found/We’ll take these feelings to our grave as we’re lowered in the ground.”

And with that the song softens dramatically, just left with very minimal music to the point where it almost sounds like Amy is now singing acapella save for the very faint acoustic twang of the guitar somewhere way in the background of the song, Amy’s vocals are mournful once more, “You drew me in like a wave on the shore/You made me feel like there could be something more/Like I could be your saviour the one that could make you believe/But you never warned me about the webs that you weave/So I’m here without you to spend forever alone/I should have seen the real you.” Amy pauses for approximately six seconds and gently whispers, “I should have known.”

Lyrics

“I saw the tiniest moment of grace in the light
When you stood with the prophets in the darkness of night
You raised your hands to the sky like the conqueror of millions
But forgot about your loved one in the crowd of civilians
The shadows are cast and the silence begins
I stared at your heart in the hope that you’d let me in
But as I glanced at your eyes, I could see all this pain
I knew that I had lost you and our love could no longer remain

You told me from the beginning, from the start
That your unable to love, that you have a dark heart
You said your soulless and empty and everything that I’m not
You don’t care if you hurt all the people you’ve forgot
But there’s a place in your body where I belong and should be
But you made it clear that it would remain empty

I’ll wander the streets where we once spent our youth
I’ll remember our joys in a brief moment of truth
I’ll stare at the swings where we used to play
I’ll lie in the fields where we used to lay
I’ll stand by the river and take shelter from the rain
I’ll remember us for the good times rather than the pain
I’ll stand on the bridge where we shared our first kiss
I’ll remember the times that I can’t help but miss

From childhood friends to teenage lovers
From nervous children to fathers and mothers
From misfits and losers that don’t belong
To the tragic protagonist in the words of a song
To the beaten and broken in the rules of love
To the beautiful and fragile watching us from above
To the ones who’ve lost hope and can’t seem to be found
We’ll take this feeling to our grave as we’re lowered in the ground

You drew me in like a wave on the shore
You made me feel like there could be something more
Like I could be your saviour the one that could make you believe
But you never warned me about the webs that you weave
So I’m here without you to spend forever alone
I should have seen the real you
I should have known”

Title: Written In The Stars
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop-Rock
Length: 4:18
Label: North Hill Records!
Written: September/October 2012
Writer(s): Amy Meyer

Background & Song Description

‘Written In The Stars’ is a song by the American teenage rock band, Riot! In The Boulevard. It was written in late September/early October 2012 by Amy Meyer at her new apartment in Greenwich Village, New York and it was included onto the bands third studio album during the final weeks or recording as they attempted to refine the album’s running order before they began preparing for the No Venues Tour in early November and the final mixing stages of the album. The entire song was written by Amy Meyer, the first version of the song came to fruition one late night in September. After a long day of recording and the emptiness of her new home in New York City it’s been stated that, “The words just all came bellowing out in that moment.” and it was evident quite quickly that this was potentially an iconic song for the band as it mixes all of the elements of what their fans enjoy about the band from driving guitars and anthemic lyrics of the confusion that love and other such emotions bring.

The image of a solitary loner sitting by the window of her New York City apartment, miles from home just watching couples walking hand in hand way below on the streets and her still rather adolescent mind just rushing with images of past love that has gone by for whatever reasons is described by a reviewer after interviewing the red-haired singer and being given the opportunity to listen to the track, Amy describes the process and situation as follows; “I’m a very messed up sort of person, I’m aware of that probably more than anyone else that’s ever met me, I don’t need people to tell me how truly screwed up I am inside because I see it every day, every time that I look into a mirror I see it. I can’t deal with my real emotions, when things get scary and start moving too quick I’m the first to run, it’s who I am, I’m a runner. I can’t help that fact, but there’s moments of complete focus and drive and determination and those moments tend to appear when it comes to writing and performing. I can’t be in love, not truly. I don’t know how to be and I can’t even explain it in words, I can’t talk about it to a friend because I just don’t know how to explain it. I can write about it sometimes, not all of the time but sometimes I can and this is one of those times.”

An opening piano introduction provided by Amy Meyer, combined with a loud and energetic lead guitar riff from Justin Mullen set the scene for the song, the rhythm tones of Adam Benjamin’s guitar along with the steady bass playing from Jason Greenberg and the gentle but prominent drumming from Nathan Mullen create the picture of a quintessential Riot! In The Boulevard rock song and the lyrics follow suit as Amy opens her lungs and bellows out the opening lyrics, “I don’t know where we’re going, this is all brand new to me/I’ve heard people talk of love before, it’s not something I could ever see/I don’t know the direction, to lead you to my heart/I’ve never been one for perfection/And I ain’t gonna start.” and is quickly followed by the second verse which begins to show the self-deprecating side to Amy’s songwriting, “I’ve been independent/For as long as I can remember/I’m without a flame, I’m just a burning ember/I’ve kept my cards close to my chest/Took care of myself and left all the rest/Because I know that I’ll be safe and sound/All alone with no-one around.” a brief instrumental break as all the musicians are given a few moments to flourish.

As another verse flies by at a quick pace, it leads into the powerful and anthemic chorus, backed by the strength of the guitar and drum playing from the band Amy once again opens her lungs to provide an incredible rock vocal delivery on the chorus, “It’s written in the stars/It’s blazed across the sky/It’s buried in our soul/Until the day we die/It’s there for you to take/So please treat it like your own/Don’t ever make it break/Please just give my heart a home.” as the guitar riff continues and another verse passes by the rise of the music continues as Amy delivers another vocal master class with more self-deprecation in her lyrics as she sings, “Now I’m neurotic, vulnerable and scared/With all kinds of thoughts running through my head/But it’s all worth it when you hold me tight/Because I’m finally in love and I’m willing to brave the fight/I know we’ll make it and we’ll be alright/At the end of the day/When all is said and done/I’m truly yours/It looks like you’ve won.” and as it’s followed by the chorus once more, the song ends with a bang.

Lyrics

“I don’t know where we’re going, this is all brand new to me
I’ve heard people talk of love before, it’s not something I could ever see
I don’t know the direction, to lead you to my heart
I’ve never been one for perfection
And I ain’t gonna start

I’ve been independent
For as long as I can remember
I’m without a flame, I’m just a burning ember
I’ve kept my cards close to my chest
Took care of myself and left all the rest
Because I know that I’ll be safe and sound
All alone with no-one around

But there you are, wherever I look
I close my eyes, and your image is stuck
It’s stuck like a memory that I just can’t let go
Just like a familiar face of someone that I used to know
You’re stuck in my head, I can’t shake it free
I’m crazy for you
And it seems like you finally got me

It’s written in the stars
It’s blazed across the sky
It’s buried in our soul
Until the day we die
It’s there for you to take
So please treat it like your own
Don’t ever make it break
Please just give my heart a home

You told me to give you a chance
Take a risk on a true romance
You opened me up and you healed my scars
You taught me how to let love in
And now I find myself sat at my window counting the stars

Now I’m neurotic, vulnerable and scared
With all kinds of thoughts running through my head
But it’s all worth it when you hold me tight
Because I’m finally in love and I’m willing to brave the fight
I know we’ll make it and we’ll be alright
At the end of the day
When all is said and done
I’m truly yours
It looks like you’ve won

It’s written in the stars
It’s blazed across the sky
It’s buried in our soul
Until the day we die
This thing that they call love
It’s true what they say
It’s enough to make the world go around
You gotta fall in love someday”